ELECTROCHEMICAL DOUBLE LAYER: STRUCTURE AND THERMODYNAMICS.

Fundamental aspects of metal-solution interfaces both from physical and thermodynamic viewpoints are presented. An analysis of specific adsorption of ions on metal electrodes, based exclusively on the thermodynamic formalism of electrified interfaces is also given as a means of illustrating the concept of surface reaction at the electrochemical interface. The use of optical techniques in the in-situ study of the electronic properties of metal surfaces in contact with an electrolyte, particularly reflectance spectroscopy, is discussed. Finally, the electrode emersion technique, which may allow the utilization of powerful electron spectroscopies in ultrahigh vacuum in the study of the microscopic structure of the metal-solution interface, is described.